• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.266-274
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the number of visitors to the top of Seoseokdae in Mudeungsan National Park, in which visitors are concentrated, and their visiting patterns, thereby suggesting measures to manage the visitors. The number of annual visitors and the numbers of regional and seasonal visitors to Mudeungsan National Park, which affect the concentration of visits to Seoseokdae were analyzed using the data produced by an automatic digitizing device. A field study was conducted to examine the number of seasonal and periodic visitors to Seoseokdae and their visiting patterns. In 2015, the number of visitors was 2,563,651 and 83.9% of the visitors visited via the Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa area that is near Gwangju City. This area is close to the Seoseokdae area and it is easy to hike between the areas. Therefore, there was an influx of most visitors to Seoseokdae into the Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa area. In terms of seasonal visitors, the largest number of visitors came in the fall, followed by the summer, spring, and winter in order. However, the seasonal differences were not notable. There was no statistically significant correlation between the number of visitors and meteorological factors. This result may have been because Gwangju citizens frequently visit Mudeungsan regardless of period and weather. Visitors can get to Seoseokdae via the trails into Wonhyosa and Jangbuljae. A slightly larger number of visitors used the trail into Jangbuljae in the fall and winter, whereas a larger number of visitors used the trail into Wonhyosa in the summer. In general, there is a large influx of visitors into Jangbuljae, a strategic visiting point. However, a slightly larger number of visitors may have chosen the trail into Wonhyosa in the summer because they could hike under the shade of trees. In the summer, visitors stayed in Seoseokdae for a short time with a low level of crowdedness. On the other hand, in the fall and winter, visitors stayed in the area longer because they had lunch and rested. During the time, the number of momentary maximum visitors peaked, causing extreme crowdedness. Therefore, some visitors showed the visiting pattern of entering the grassland outside the designate zone. Because this behavior can damage the grassland on the top of Seoseokdae, which can lead to soil erosion, intensive visitor management may be necessary.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.734-747
• /
• 2019

This study surveyed the visitors to the Seoseokdae Peak of the Mudeungsan National Park, to analyze the factors that affected user behavior, perception of the National Park, and satisfaction with the visit and establish the strategy for the management of the Mudeungsan National Park. The analysis result showed that Gwangju residents (78.1%) accounted for the majority of the visitors to the Seoseokdae Peak and that the Mudeungsan National Park showed the attributes of both mountain type and suburb type. Most visitors (91.2%) perceived that columnar joints, including the Seoseokdae Peak, possessed the largest resource value in the Mudeungsan National Park, and the visitors showed concern over the potential damage to vegetation in the Seoseokdae Peak as the result of the overcrowded visitors. Over half of the visitors showed a positive response to the measures like partially restricted access or detour of mountain path to preserve and restore the Seoseokdae Peak. The total visitors and the regional visitors (residents of Gwangju, Damyang, and Hwasun), indicated that the facility management aimed at facilitating visitor experience affected the most on the satisfaction with park management. Moreover, the regional visitors answered that the visit management to control disorder and overcrowding would increase satisfaction. The result of the importance-satisfaction analysis showed a difference between the total visitors and the regional visitors in needed improvements as the total visitors believed that "amenities and information facilities" should be improved while the regional visitors believed that the focus should be on the "prevention of illegal and disorderly behaviors" and the "amenities and information facilities."

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.454-465
• /
• 2020

This study measured the present number of encounters and established the evaluation criterion for the allowable number of encounters in the Seoseokdae summit area (SSA) of Mudeungsan National Park to examine managerial conditions of the number of visitors to the Seoseokdae trail section (STS). Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of 263 visitors to STS selected through convenient sampling during June 2019. The average number of encounters in SSA was 18.7. Most of the respondents (95.4%) encountered fewer than 30 other visitors. The average maximum number of simultaneous users (AMNSU, measured at 15-minute intervals) in SSA was 13.4 persons (range: 3~31 persons). The AMNSU by the hour was the highest with 21.0 persons at 13-14, followed by 19.8 persons at 11-12, 15.5 persons at 14-15, 15.3 persons at 12-13, 12.3 persons at 10-11, and 10.8 persons at 8-9. Acceptable encounter number (AEN) developed by long-question format (LQF) was 59.2 persons, and that by short-question format (SQF) was 55.1 persons. AEN of the respondents who preferred "near-nature experience" at 27.5 persons was fewer than those who preferred "resort/tourism area like experience" at 46.6 persons. The present number of encounters and AMNUS (range: 3~31 persons) in SSA were fewer than AENs derived from LQF (59.2 persons) and SQF (55.1 persons). Eighty-three percent of the respondents preferred "near-nature experience," while only 10.5% of the respondents preferred "resort/tourism area like experience." 78.4% of the respondents did not perceive that SSA was crowded. The absolute majority of the respondents (92.3%) answered higher personal AEN than the perceived encounter numbers (PEN). The gaps between the personal AEN and the PEN were negatively correlated with perceived crowding.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.109-121
• /
• 2010

Mt. Mudeung is located in Gwangju city, Damyang-Gun, Hwasun-Gun and its round form give us the mood of soft and rich. Its location is $126^{\circ}06'-127^{\circ}01'E$ and $35^{\circ}06'-35^{\circ}10'N$ and its highest peak is Cheonwang-bong with the height of 1,187 m. The Gwangju city is located in the West of Mt. Mudeng and the mountain range with a small basin in its East. The pavilion such as the Soswaewon, Songganjeong, Sigyongjeong are distributed along the stream in the north of Mt. Mudeung. The mountain is formed from the volcanic activity, Gwangju cauldron during the Cretaceous. The top part of Mt. Mudeung is composed of dark gray quartz-andesite and its K-Ar whole rock age is $48.1{\pm}1.7Ma$. The composition of the north area, where the Wonhyosa temple is located, is micrographic granite, whereas the composition of south area is rhyolite mainly. The main ridge of Mt. Mudeung runs from North, starting from the Bukbong, to south, passing Cheonwangbong, Jangbuljae and ending Anyangsan. Geologic feature of the mountain includes volcanic landform, mountaineous landform, and stream landform. The Seosukdae, Ipseokdae, Gyubongam, which are main ridges and formed from volcanic activity, are composed of mainly columnar joint. Saeinbong and Majipbong in the south-west are composed of mainly cliff and dome. The typical erosion landform of the mountain has three different types of the weathering-cave, each of which reflect the property of the original rock. Four different area of wide block stream, they makes the geological feature of spring-water, though its scale is small compared to that of water fall.